Device for use in jumping



1961 v. L. HOUSE 2,997,300

DEVICE FOR USE IN JUMPING Filed Aug. 10, 1959 l/E/PN L. HOUSE Q 7 74 xxzag IN ME N TOR HUEBNER 8 WO/P/PEL 147' 7' OIPNE V5 United StatesPatent O 2,997,300 DEVICE FOR USE IN JUMPING Vern L. House, 2537 Hill St., Huntington Park, Calif. Filed Aug. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 832,692 3 Claims. (Cl.27259) This invention relates to a device for use in jumping or vaulting.

The device of this invention is intended for use in play at a swimming pool, for example. With it, one may leap into the pool from a diving board or platform or from the surface around the pool. Much fun and frolic and entertainment, as well as athletic competition, may be derived from its use.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a device which may be employed for jumping or vaulting purposes from on a hard surface.

A specific object of this invention is to provide a device for use in jumping or vaulting with the device pivoting on a support surface, the device being in the form of a pole having a suction cup secured on one end thereof for gripping said surface, and preventing sliding of the pole on said surface while a jump is being performed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character and which has resilient means therein for increasing the distance or height to which the user may leap with the device.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear during the course of the following part of this specification wherein the details of construction and manner of use of a preferred embodiment are described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

'FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail view on a greatly enlarged scale of a handle end portion of the device;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the device on an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 4 is a section on an enlarged scale taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, there is shown, for purposes of illustration, a device embodying this invention, the same comprising a pole, which is designated generally by reference numeral 10, and a suction cup 12 attached to one end of the pole.

For purposes of convenience in describing the details of construction of the pole in terms which will define its functions in the broad scope herein contemplated, the pole is herein defined as comprising a long slender handle portion 14 and a surface engaging end portion designated generally by numeral 16, the end portion 16 being extended into space 18 of the suction cup. As thus defined, the pole has an outer end surface 20, which is the outer end surface of the handle portion, and a lower end surface 22 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is the downwardly facing surface of an elastomer pad 24 constituting the extreme lower end portion of the pole.

The handle portion may be formed of wood or of hollow metal tubing closed at its ends so that the device will float should it be carried into a swimming pool. The illustrated embodiment has a coating 26 of plastic or other suitable material applied over the outer end portion of the handle to provide a non-slip surface at which the user grasps the device with his hands. The pole may, of course, be of any length, but most users will find one of a length of about 6 feet to be convenient.

Intermediate the end surfaces 20 and 22 of the pole and preferably at its lower end as in the illustrated embodiment, the pole has resilient means therein to impart a springing force through limited lengthwise contraction and expansion of the pole for increasing the height or distance to which the user may leap with the device. In the illustrated embodiment, such resilient means comprises a coil spring 28 which is disposed entirely 'within the inside space 18 of the suction cup. The lower end portion 30 of the handle has external screw threads 32 formed therein, and there is an internally threaded sleeve 34, of metal, for example, for attaching the spring to and in axial alignment with the handle, the spring being welded or otherwise suitably secured at its upper end portion 35 around the sleeve. Extending across and secured to the lower end portion 36 of the spring is a plate member 37 generally in a plane normal to the axis of the spring. The aforementioned elastomer pad 24 covers the lower surface of the plate thus to provide a non-skid end surface for the pole, which upon engage-' ment with a hard support surface 38 on which a jump is being made, will serve as a fulcrum point for the pole. The spring is of such size as to have a carrying capacity of about 200 lbs. so that it will compress due to the weight of the user and will expand from its compressed state in that phase of a jump beyond the apex of the jump, thereby to impart added force to the user in making a leap.

Referring now to the details of construction of the suction cup 12, it has a neck portion 40 having an opening 42 extending axially therethrough. The inside walls which define the neck opening have screw threads formed therein for securing the suction cup upon the lower end portion 30 of the handle. The neck opening is countersunk at its inner end at 44 to accommodate the spring supporting sleeve 34. From the neck portion the body of the suction cup continues as a generally conical side wall 46 to an end rim portion 48, the inside of which defines cup opening 50. The cup opening is larger in diameter than the diameter of the plate 36 and its elastomer covering pad 24 so that, for the illustrated embodiment, the elastomer pad Will directly engage the support surface 38 during a jump. For increasing the extent of suction engagement of the cup upon the support surface 38, the rim portion may have a plurality of annular grooves 54 formed in the lower end surface of the cup, such lower end surface being designated by reference numeral 56.

In use, the suction cup will flex and will remain attached to the support surface 38-, whereby the jumper may let .go of the pole after he has passed the apex point of his jump and the pole will remain gripped by the suction cup to the support surface.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein, in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for use in jumping which comprises: a long slender pole; a suction cup of elastomer material having a neck portion and flaring outwardly from the neck portion to a rim which defines a cup opening opposite the neck portion of the suction cup, the neck portion of the suction cup having an axial opening extending therethrough so as to communicate with the inside of the suction cup between the neck portion and the rim; one end portion of the pole extending through said axial opening in the neck portion of the cup so that the neck portion is tightly secured about said end portion of the pole; a coil spring secured at one of its ends to said one end portion of the pole proximate the neck portion of the suction cup, the coil spring extending axially of the pole so as to form an axially compressible extension of the pole, the coil spring extending toward said cup opening and terminating at a free end Within the cup at a position spaced axially toward the neck portion of the cup from a .plane extending through the rim of the cup; whereby during use of the device for jumping off of a flat surface, as the weight of the user is applied to the pole, the rim of the cup will first engage and be compressed against the surface to provide suction engagement of the device to the surface, and the free end of the coil spring will then resiliently engage the surface.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 which includes an elastomer pad mounted on the free end of the spring,

said elastomer pad having a flat working surface facing toward said cup opening and lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spring.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said elasstomet pad is mounted on a hat metal plate secured to the free end of the spring, said plate being disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spring.

References Cited i'nthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 739,120 Taylor Sept. 15, 1903 1,734,206 Fisch Nov. 5, 1929 2,712,443 Hohberger July 5, 1955 

